Shy, not Weak
by PurplexMirage
Summary: Hinata-centric. A forgotten contract sends Hinata away from Konoha at a young age. Back in Konoha shortly before the genin exams, how is this different Hinata going to affect the people around her? And what did happen to her while she was away? NaruHina
1. Because She Could

**Title:** Shy, not Weak

**Author:** PurplexMirage

**Genre:** General/Romance/Tragedy

**Rating:** T/M

**Summary:** Hinata-centric. A long forgotten contract sends Hinata away from Konoha at a young age. Back in Konoha shortly before the genin exams, just how is this different Hinata going to affect the people around her? And what did happen to her while she was away? NaruHina

**Standard Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are properties of Kishimoto Masashi and the companies that have the rights for it. I do not own Naruto.

**Author's Note:** This is a Hinata-centric story! That means that this story will feature her as the main character. If you can't read Hinata without inducing vomiting, please do not try and read this story. There will be a lot of OC's in this story in the beginning, but only a few actually stays for the whole duration of the story. Again, if you do not like reading about OC's, please do not try and read this story. I think that about covers it. Oh and there will be deviants from the main Naruto storyline, but nothing drastically will change until after the Chunnin Exams. Also, its AU, I haven't read Naruto since a little after post time-skip, and I have no idea what happened after that. Updates should occur at least once every week, hopefully, if life doesn't get in the way.

Chapter 1: Because She Could

Dark rain clouds thundered above Konoha. In the majestic Hyuga compound not a single soul was on the ordered cobbled streets. It was late after all, and it was entirely too unseemly to be out at such a time. Behind one shoji-screened door, an important meeting was transpiring that would forever alter the life of one small Hyuga heiress.

Hyuga Hiashi glared at the five people before him. What they were asking of him was preposterous, outrageous even. The nerve of them to even step into his house thinking those things! If he weren't so dignified, then he would have already cursed and yelled at them for the fools they were. But because he was honorful and dignified he refrained from such acts...at least for now.

"We have a contract, Hyuga-san." The man that had done most of the talking since the beginning of the meeting repeated again, brandishing an old scroll. He offered the scroll to the seething Hyuga, who took it with a disgusted look on his face. "As you can see, your father had promised one of his descendents to us. As you and your brother had been too old to be of interest to us at that time, we have waited until you have bared children. Of course we would have preferred the boy Hyuga, but it seems like he had been branded with a certain Curse Seal, making him useless to us. However, I hear you have two daughters." The man smiled thinly. "One of them will be sufficient for us."

Hiashi's hands tightened on the damnable scroll as he again resisted the urge to smash the man's smirking face with his fists. "I will not give one of my daughters to you so that you can _Condition_ her or whatever you said you were going to do. And you are a fool to think that I would do so."

"Does an Hyuga's word count for nothing then?" Another voice spoke up. This time it was a lady, who seemed to be the leader of the small group. She looked at Hyuga Hiashi with cool green eyes as she smiled mockingly. "Do not forget, Hyuga-san, what the price would be if you go against the contract. I'm sure you wouldn't want your father's...dirty secrets to be brought to light. Especially considering to what lengths, he went to keep them so. I can't imagine just how much damage these secrets would cause to your clan's reputation, but I'm sure you do."

Hiashi's face pulled down into a deeper frown as he fought to keep his composure. Damn it! The infernal woman was right. If his father's acts were brought to light, the clan would suffer greatly. Not to mention the repercussions it would have in the village. If another great clan was to fall so shortly after the Uchiha clan had been massacred, Konoha's strength would be greatly diminished to the point that other Hidden Villages may think it vulnerable to attacks. And Hiashi was not sure Konoha could withstand the attacks from other Hidden Villages, if the Hyuga clan would fall. Konoha's ninjas had been greatly reduced after the Kyubbi attack and the Uchiha clan massacre; an attack could crumble the already weakened village. Hiashi could not stand being responsible for that. He could not stand being the reason for his beloved village's and clan's downfall. But to give up his daughters...he could not do that either.

"It's not like we're asking for both of them," the man from earlier spoke again, shrugging. "One is enough. Perhaps the younger one? Hanabi was it?"

* * *

Behind a silk-screened door, Hyuga Hinata stifled a gasp as the man mentioned her little sister. She had sneaked out of her room in the middle of the night to get a sip of water. She had suppressed her chakra, unconsciously, a habit she had formed to moved unnoticed underneath the disapproving glares of the clan. She had no idea how rare an ability it was, or even that few could do so. All she knew was that if no one could sense her, then they wouldn't turn to her with their hollow stares and poorly-veiled criticisms. Their pity or scorn at having such a weak heiress evident even to a young eight year old girl. She had seen the light shining through the shoji doors, and had wondered who her father would meet with so late at night. So curious at the uncommon occurrence, she had crept closer to the door, hoping to catch a few words of what was going on. These strangers wanted to take away her imouto! For this Conditioning that she didn't understand, but Father didn't seem to like it, so it must be bad. Hinata chewed on her lips nervously. Were they taking Hanabi-imouto away to harm her? But that wasn't right! Father would never let them do so. But it didn't seem like Father had a choice, Hinata worried. The people had mentioned something about damage to the clan. If Father didn't give them Hanabi-imouto did that mean that the people would harm the clan? Hinata felt tears raise at the thought the people she had seen her whole life being injured. And Hanabi-imouto! What would the people do if they get their hands on her poor little sister? Hinata knew it was her duty to protect her little sister. She had made a promise to herself and her mother. She couldn't let them hurt her imouto! Hinata looked at the door in front of her, nervously. They had said one of the daughters. So if she was the one who left would that mean she could save her little sister?

"I'm not giving any one of them to you!" Hiashi snarled, his control holding on by a frayed thread. Did these bastards really think that he would give one of his daughters to them for a twisted Project? They were **his** daughters. His! How could he willingly give them up to something like that?

The sound of the shoji doors slowly being opened froze the occupants of the rooms as the ninjas tensed. They hadn't even sense a presence behind the door! They all stared in surprise at the small girl that entered the room, her little frame shaking. "I-I-I wi-wi-will go in-instead of H-Hanabi-imouto." Hinata said into the quiet that had descended on the room at her entrance.

Total silence prevailed for a few moments as all in the room registered her words. "No!" with a harsh cry Hiashi leapt forward to his daughter. A quick nod from the woman caused two of the people near her to intercept the enraged Head before he could reach his frightened daughter. Kashi Hisaki looked at the little Hyuga heiress in front of her. She had heard a lot about the young girl. Information gathered from informants had called her weak and timid, an unlikely match for the Society's needs. However…a quick whispered conversation between her and her main guard netted the information that she needed. No one had sense the young girl's presence outside the shoji doors, either. They could barely sense her, despite the fact that she was right in front of them. Was she truly as weak as she had been claimed?

Kashi moved to the shaking little girl who had not said a word since her surprising proclamation. "Look at me girl." Kashi barked and Hinata did so waveringly, never looking into Kashi's eyes. "Why do you want to go with us? Do you know of the things we will make you do?" Hisaki asked harshly. Hinata flinched at the woman's tone.

"I-I do not kn-know w-what y-you wi-will m-m-make me do. B-But if I do-don't go t-t-then you w-will m-ma-make H-Han-Hanabi go. S-She is my im-imouto. It is my d-d-duty as h-her on-onee-chan to pr-protect her. I ca-cannot let any ha-harm b-be-befall her."

"Why should we take you instead of your sister? You can't even talk to us without stuttering. You are weak," Hisaki accused. Hinata cringed at the description of her from a stranger she didn't even know. Hinata felt tears burn in her eyes again. Why did everyone think she was weak? Was it because she stuttered? Was it because she didn't want to harm others? Did those qualities make her weak? Hinata remembered all the things she went through, the ridicule and the punishments. Even after all the scorn, she never gave up. She had kept on going doing her best, even when her best wasn't enough. A new determination rose in her. They were wrong. She wasn't weak. So what if she stuttered? That didn't make her weak!

Hinata finally looked straight into Kashi's eyes, her pale eyes burning resolutely. "Y-You're wrong. I am shy, not weak." Hinata raised her head a little higher. "I am a Hyuga. We are not weak."

Hiashi felt pride rise at Hinata's words. His little girl had finally grown up and was spreading her wings. Kashi felt a small smile bloom on her face as she searched the little girl's face. That was what Kashi had been looking for: someone who had potential and the determination to never give up. Not to mention, Kashi thought suddenly saddened, the desire to protect those she loved. For a moment, another image overlapped that of the Hyuga heiress, that of a determined green eyed boy that looked achingly familiar. Kashi quickly shook her head to dispel the image, before her lapse in attention was noticed. "We'll take her." Kashi said briskly, grabbing the little girl's arm.

"What? No!" Hiashi yelled, fighting harder to get through the two people holding him back.

Kashi whirled back at him, snarling. "It's too late Hyuga! You're paying for your father's sins. Blame your father's ruthlessness and be thankful that the price wasn't bigger." Kashi trudged forward again, pulling the small heiress behind her.

"N-nee-chan," the quiet voice stopped Kashi in her tracks as she stared down at the girl whose arm she was holding. "Can I have a day to say my goodbyes? I-I may never see them again, and I just want to say goodbye." Hinata looked up at the sharp-eyed woman holding her, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "P-Pl-Please," she begged brokenly.

Kashi felt her stone heart crack a little at the young Hyuga's plea. "If we give you this day, you'll do everything we ask of you? No complaints?" Kashi questioned. Hinata nodded her head. "Promise?" she prodded.

"Promise," Hinata confirmed.

Kashi let go of the little girl's arm. "We'll come back in the eve of tomorrow," she said dismissingly, stepping out into the gloom of the night, the others following her. "You better treasure this day." The door shut with a thud behind the last person, leaving the two Hyugas alone.

Hiashi crumbled to the ground, his hands covering his face. "Hinata, oh, Hinata what have you done? What have I done to you?" He sobbed brokenly.

Hinata walked over to her father, and did something she always dreamed of doing, but never had the courage to do. She hugged him. "It's okay, otou-san. It's okay," she soothed. "Everything is going to be okay." A small tear slipped out of the corner of her eyes. They both knew the words for the lies they were.

* * *

The premonition of rain from the night before was fulfilled the next day as the sky dropped heavy rain upon the denizens of Konoha. The heavy rain irritated the already frazzled villagers as they went about their day. Rain had been pouring down unceasingly for the past week making the dirt on the roads turn muddy. The gloom that had descended onto the Village of the Leaf was getting on everyone's nerves, and as with any problems that they didn't have a ready answer to, they blamed the rain and the problems it bought on the Kyubbi container, Uzumaki Naruto. It did not matter that no ninja, let alone an Academy student, could cause the weather to change to that extent. In the villager's hate-filled minds, all of it was Naruto's fault. So it may not cause anyone great surprise, that on that day, Naruto was treated to harsher treatment then before. So harsh a treatment, that even Naruto's seemingly unending optimism shriveled up and hide. Feeling dejected and defeated, Naruto slumped to the muddy ground next to an abandoned building, uncaring of the pouring rain pounding down on him.

Hinata looked sadly at the object of her admiration. She had left the Hyuga compound with only an umbrella to shield her from the rain, to search for him. But seeing him now so dejected, broke a little piece of the courage she had found earlier. Before she could think about it, Hinata walked over and covered Naruto with her umbrella. Naruto looked up at the sudden lack of rain and stared dejectedly at the girl in front of him. His stillness unsettled the Hyuga, so used to seeing him hyperactive.

"A-Ano, y-you'll get wet," Hinata managed to stutter out from underneath his quiet gaze. "Y-you have to get c-c-change. Y-you'll get s-sick if y-you're wet." Naruto just continued to stare at her quietly, making no move to get up. Hinata felt like crying at his unresponsiveness. What happened to the loud and cheerful boy that she so admire? Had he finally caved under the hate of the villagers? No, Hinata shook her head firmly; he was just tired that's all. He was tired and he just needed someone to help him. She tugged on his arm softly. "C-c-come on Naruto-kun." Don't give up. Don't give in. Show them that they're wrong. Come on, Naruto-kun, you can do it! "Y-you h-have to get dry." Surprised when Naruto actually moved, Hinata stood still for a moment, before rushing to catch up to him so she can cover him with her umbrella.

Hinata stood timidly next to Naruto, as he unlocked his door and open it. She hoped that none of her clan had seen her walking with Naruto. Her father had repeatedly warned her not to associate with Naruto, saying he was a bad influence. Still, Hinata stubbornly continued to watch him. She did not get why her father hated him so much or why he said that Naruto was bad. Naruto was just playful, and it was not like his pranks ever harmed anyone, most of them were actually pretty funny. But the one time that Father had seen her, staring at Naruto-kun from afar, he had punished her to kneeling in front of the family altar for three days. By the time her punishment had ended, her knees had been bloodied and bruised, and her father had warned her that if he caught her again, the punishment would be harsher. However, Hinata still continued to watch Naruto, she just learned to be sneakier about it.

Staring at the door Naruto left ajar when he went inside, Hinata wondered if he meant for her to come in. Hinata chewed her bottom lip nervously as she considered this new development. It would be rude to just leave, when Naruto had left the door open for her, even though he never truly asked her in. She also wanted to spend more time with him, but if Father heard that she had been in someone else's house without his permission, she was sure to get a bad scolding. Worse, if he found out that the house she had been in was Naruto's. Finally, it was the memory of Naruto's dejected face that decided the matter for her. She didn't want him to be so sad. After all the times that he had cheered her up, shouldn't she try to cheer him up even if she didn't know how?

Quickly stepping into the apartment, before she could change her mind, she closed the front door behind her with a soft thud. The sound of rushing water from inside the apartment alerted Hinata that Naruto was in the shower. Glancing around her, Hinata was surprised to see Naruto's apartment so bare. Slipping her sandals off, Hinata walked timidly into the hallway, although no one was around to see her. Making sure not to step on any of the things that littered the floor, Hinata observed the crack paint on the walls with a frown. Did no one take care of the apartment? Deciding that the kitchen would be the safest place to be, Hinata quickly turned around from seeing Naruto's sad living arrangement. Was this what he came home to every day? If so, Hinata didn't blame him for not wanting to come home. Sifting around the cupboards in the kitchen for tea, revealed it as bare as the apartment around her, the only food she could find was ramen. There weren't even any dishes! Listening to make sure Naruto was still in the shower, Hinata hurried out to the store.

As the heiress of the Hyuga clan, Hinata was given a sizeable weekly allowance for anything that she might want. Being a frugal soul, Hinata had never really touched the money, and had, upon her mother's suggestion, put the money in the bank. This was actually Hinata's first time to withdraw any of that money and, perhaps to the surprise of many, her first time shopping by herself. Getting a little carried away, she bought more things then she intended. Looking at the large amount of bags at her feet and then back to the store, Hinata wondered if she should return some of the things. Catching sight of a clock, her eyes widened at the time, she had taken much more time than she had thought she would. Staggeringly slightly underneath the weight of the many bags, Hyuga Hinata, first-time shopper, rushed back.

Upon entering the apartment, she was glad to hear the shower still running. Quickly she got to work. While shopping she had decided that stew would be best to stave off the chilly, wet weather, not to mention the possible cold that Naruto could have. Flitting back and forth between the steaming stove and the rest of the place, Hinata unpacked the many things she had bought. She hanged up cheery blue curtains at the windows, replacing the gray, threadbare ones that had been hanging there. She stripped Naruto's bed of its olds linens, and quickly made it up with the new orange and blue bed set she had bought. She put up the poster of a steaming ramen bowl that she thought Naruto might like over the paint cracks in the wall. Pushing Naruto's clothes to the corner of the room, she dusted and swept the rest of the house.

Hinata was just putting the finishing touches on the stew when she heard the showers being turned off. Looking around in slight surprise at all she did, she was quite worried at her forwardness. What if Naruto got mad at all she did? She hadn't even asked his permission before she had basically remodeled his apartment. Hearing footsteps at the doorway, she turned around hastily, already half-bowing, "G-Go—"

"Why?" Hinata jumped a bit at his interruption and looked up at him in surprise. "Why did you do all this?" he asked sweeping his arms to show he meant his apartment. "Why did you help me?"

Why? Hinata looked around at the now clean apartment and then looked back at the depressed Naruto. There had been plenty of times that she had seen the object of her admiration hurt and depressed, but no matter how she tried she couldn't get up the courage to go and help. She would always tell herself next time, next time for sure she would go help him. But there had never been a next time…until now. What made this time so different? It was because she was leaving soon, she realized. This was her last chance to give back everything he had unconsciously given her. There had been many times that she wanted to help him, but she couldn't. But now she could and it was all because she was leaving soon. Hinata felt like laughing and crying at the same time. Should she be happy that leaving had finally forced her to do the things she wanted to do? Or sad that she could only do those things because she knew it was her last chance? Her gaze caught on the boy that was patiently waiting for her answer. Patiently, she thought, blinking in surprise. Naruto was never patient. The answer must be really important to him, she realized as she ransacked her brain for an answer. However no matter how she tried she could only think of one thing to say, the only thing that made sense.

"B-B-Be-Because I c-could," she tried out, her small smile quickly morphing into a full-blown one at the _rightness_ of the words. "Because I could," she said again and her eyes shone brightly with unshed tears. _Yes, because she finally could._


	2. Ties that Bind, Ties that Break

**Title:** Shy, not Weak

**Author:** PurplexMirage

**Genre:** General/Romance/Tragedy

**Rating:** T/M

**Summary:** Hinata-centric. A forgotten contract sends Hinata away from Konoha at a young age. Back in Konoha shortly before the genin exams, how is this different Hinata going to affect the people around her? And what did happen to her while she was away? NaruHina

**Standard Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are properties of Kishimoto Masashi and the companies that have the rights for it. I do not own Naruto.

**Author's Note:** Thanks a lot for the reviews! Regarding a reviewer's request not to make Hinata cold and evil after the Conditioning, I don't think you'll have to worry about it. Reading about Hinata in other stories where they make her overly weak or cold and evil, doesn't make sense to me. I can't imagine Hinata as cold and evil, she has this kindness or purity about her that makes me think that she will always be nice. Furthermore, I'm trying to write this story to show that Hinata isn't weak, while not changing her basic character. She is a shy girl. I don't see anything wrong with that. I hate how people change her character to make her match their idea of how she should be. Although, if they have a good reason for why she changed I don't see much of a problem. However, something to keep in mind, Hinata will be a killer by necessity…can she keep her pure character when everything around her screams that she is a monster? After all, ninjas no matter how people pretty it up are killers.

Chapter 2: Ties that Bind, Ties that Break

"Konoha is a beautiful place, ne, Hinata-chan? I mean I know the people don't like me much," Naruto laughed nervously. "But this is my home. The only one I've ever known."

"Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered, sadden at his words.

"But you'll see! I'll become Hokage and everyone will like me!" he shouted with false bravado.

Hinata looked down at the ground. She knew he was sad, but she didn't know what to do to make him feel better. What could she possibly say to make him happy? "A-Ano, Naruto-kun when you look at the sun, what do you see?"

"The sun?" Naruto asked puzzled. "Well, um it's bright and, uh, big!"

"Hai, it is," Hinata replied with a small smile. "The sun is very bright. Even when clouds come and block it, the sun continues to shine even though no one sees it. And when the clouds leave, and the sun comes out again, the sun shines more brightly after the gloom. Naruto-kun, you are the sun. Right now, right now there are clouds blocking you way. But when they are gone, then you'll shine even brighter than before."

Naruto pondered her words for a moment. He didn't fully understand what she meant, but he knew that was trying to cheer him up and encourage him. "Thank you, Hinata-chan!" He hugged her quickly causing Hinata to turn a beet red. "I'll keep that in mind."

Hinata glanced at the position of the sun. It was almost time for her to go. She still had to say goodbye to her family. So even as she found herself reluctant to leave, Hinata quickly unearthed a spool of red thread she had bought from the store earlier from her pocket. "Naruto-kun, do you know what red strings stand for?"

"Red strings?" Naruto asked quizzically, confused at the sudden change in conversation.

"Hai. Red strings are reminders, promises," Hinata said as she quickly snapped a long length of red thread. She held up the string for Naruto to see. Naruto's mouth formed a small o as he nodded in understanding. "Can you promise me four things?" She pleaded him softly. Naruto cocked his head to the side as he waited for her to continue.

"Promise me you'll never give up," she said forming a knot on the thread. "Promise me you'll become stronger so that nothing can hurt you." Another knot formed a small distance from the first. "Promise me you'll be happy." She tied another knot. Tears burned her eyes as she half-whispered her last plea. "Promise me that you'll never forget me." Her hands faltered a bit as the last knot was made. She held up the string again, this time with four knots evenly spaced on it. "Can you promise me those things, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looked at the string, then at the girl holding it. He understood the importance of a promise, and even that it was not to be easily given. In ninja society, a promise was meant to be upheld no matter what. But Hinata-chan was nice to him, and if this was important to her, then he would do it. "Hai! I promise!" He vowed. Hinata placed the string around his right wrist and using a bit of chakra stringed the two ends together. She held his hand between both of hers and treasured to contact even as she blushed at her audacity. "Remember, Naruto-kun, I believe in you." She felt tears rise again and hastily stood up. "I have to go," she said keeping her head bowed as she gathered her things.

"Aww, already?" Naruto complained. Hinata smiled tearfully at his whine.

"Hai, my father is waiting for me." Hinata moved away slowly, dreading leaving. "Thank you for spending time with me today," she said formally, half-bowing.

"Oh," Naruto laughed as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "It was no big deal. I'll see you tomorrow at the Academy, alright?"

Hinata smiled softly, her eyes curiously dry. "Goodbye, Naruto-kun," she said softly, as she turned away. One foot then the other, Hinata reminded herself sternly, come on Hinata you can do it. Step by painful step Hinata walked away feeling her heart twist at every step she took. She knew this would probably be the last time she'll ever see him again. Today had been breathtaking. She had finally had the courage to talk to him and they had become friends. She had become comfortable around him, and found that she stuttered less when she talked to him. Finally meeting him, she had realized that her image of Naruto had been wrong, but the person he really was, the person she had gotten to know was even more than she could ever imagine. He wasn't infallible like she had imagined, no he was human and he had his moments of weakness too. But knowing of those weakness had only made her admire him more; it was one thing to be godlike and perfect and have things go easy for you, it was another thing to be weak and discouraged and still through all of it work hard to be accepted. And now she was walking away from that wonderful person, a person she admired above all else. She wanted more time with him, she wanted more memories she could hold and cherish, something that she could remember every time she was sad, and know that somewhere someone else was just like her and still trying their best. Hinata felt tears slid down her face. "Goodbye," she whispered again, pouring all her pain and regret in that one word.

Naruto watched as the small Hyuga heiress walked away, her little form quickly being swallowed up by the surrounding foliage. He quickly climbed up the tree, determined to keep her in sight for as long as he could. He didn't know why but he had the feeling that if he lost sight of her she would disappear. She was the first person to say she believed in him. She was his first friend, and the first person to not laugh when he told of his dream. She was comforting. He could talk to her as long as loudly as he wanted and she didn't tell him to talk softer or be quiet. If he talked to her about his insecurities and how the villagers hated him for a reason he didn't know, she would be sad for him. If he told her funny stories about his pranks or about how Iruka would sometimes take him out for ramen, she would smile and genuinely be happy for him. No one had shown that they had truly cared about him and what happened to him but her and he was scared that any moment now he would wake up and realize it was all a dream. Unconsciously, Naruto's hand reached up to touch the red string that was still warm and glowing slightly from her chakra. "Goodbye, Hinata-chan."

* * *

The clinking of utensils were the only noises room as the family dined together. Hinata swallowed a bit of rice uncomfortably. This was not how she imagined dinner to be.

"H-How was your day, Neji-nii-san?" Hinata attempted.

"Fine," he answered shortly, putting some more of the boiled carrots into his bowl.

"Oh, hai, t-that's go-good," Hinata replied, her lips trembling a bit.

"Are you going somewhere, Hinata-sama?" Neji asked. Hinata's and Hiashi's chopsticks froze in mid-air. Neji looked at the two questioning. "I saw bags packed in your room. So I thought you might be going somewhere."

"Oh, h-hai. I-I'm go-g-going on a tr-trip. F-For tr-tra-training," she added quickly.

"Ah," Neji nodded sagely. "When will we be leaving?"

"W-w-we, Neji-nii-san?" Hinata questioned shocked.

"Hai, Hinata-sama, as your protector, I go everywhere you—" Neji broke off a the look on his uncle's and cousin's face, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not leaving am I?" he finished dully.

"No," Hiashi answered, "since Hinata…will be gone for a long time, we have assigned a new guardian for her. For now, you will become Hanabi's guardian until the time when Hinata comes back."

Neji stared at Hinata, who had forgone all pretense of eating. "Are you leaving me behind, Hinata-sama?" He queried softly.

Hinata flinched at the words as if he had physically struck her. Hiashi looked at his daughter and his nephew, for such seemly innocent words uttered, the two had reacted quite strongly.

__

[Flashback]

_A small three year old Hinata, her face still covered with bandages, peeked around her father's kimono at the small boy that was kneeling in front of a mantle. She had met him before. He was her coursin, Neji. She looked at the photo on the mantle and frowned. It was a photo of Neji's father, her uncle. But it didn't fit him. Her uncle always had a smile on his face, a happy expression. In the photo he was frowning with a stern expression on his face, and in that single moment, he looked more like his twin brother, Hiashi, than he ever did in real life._

_Sometimes she would imagine that he was her father, and Neji, her brother. He would never scold her for being weak, instead he would encourage and help her until she became stronger. Still captured in her daydream, Hinata drifted over to the silent boy, and sit next to him. "Neji-nii-san?" Hinata questioned quietly, tugging softly on the arm of his kimono. "Ano are you—"_

_"Leave," Neji said, eerily calm. Hinata's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Leave! Get out!" Neji got up suddenly, yanking his robe from Hinata's small fingers. He towered above her, his eyes and face etched with anger. Hinata's eyes were wide, frightened at the angry boy in front of her. "It's your fault he's gone! Go away! I don't want to see you here!" Angrily, he pushed her away. Hinata landed on the floor with a soft cry of pain as her head hit the wooden floor. Hinata shook her head dazedly. A solid, dark blur moved in front of her, blocking her view of her cousin._

_"How dare a Branch member push someone of the Main Family! This'll teach you!"_

_Hinata grew horrified as Neji's cries of pain filled the air. Neji-nii-san was getting hurt! And it was because of her! Her head still spinning uncomfortably, Hinata stumbled to the figure in front of her. "Stop!" Hinata pleaded as Neji's cries of pain grew louder. "Please stop hurting Neji-nii-san." Tears ran down her face, blurring her vision as she pleaded with the man in front of her. "Please stop! Onegai!" She scrambled over to the convulsing form of her cousin. He was holding his head in agony, as the seal pulsed an angry red on his forehead. _

_"You heard your heiress. She ordered you to stop." Her father's calm voice said, before she could start her pleas again._

_Hinata gave a broken sob of relief when Neji stopped writhing on the floor. "I apologize Hiashi-sama, I—" Hinata tuned out the man's voice as she concentrated on Neji's shallow breathing. "Gomen," she whispered, her small arms wrapped around him, as her tears soaked his clothes. "Gomen, Neji-nii-san._

* * *

"_It was because you were weak!" Hiashi growled. Tears threaten to fall again, but Hinata valiantly tried to keep them at bay. If her father saw them, he would just become more enraged. "You being kidnapped, your uncle dying, and your cousin's seal being used was all because you weren't strong enough to prevent it! If you were stronger none of that would have happened. Begging? Hyugas do not beg," Hiashi spat the word out as if the taste of it in his mouth was disgusting. "We order. We threaten. We bribe. We. Do. Not. Beg." He looked at the shivering form of his daughter in front of him. He was angry. At her yes, but he was angry at himself too. He was the Head of the Hyuga clan and he couldn't stop his daughter from being kidnapped or his brother from being sacrificed. What type of leader was he? A pathetic one, Hiashi admitted truthfully as he closed his eyes. "You are a disgrace to the clan and to me." As am I, he added silently. As am I._

_Hinata flinched as the door pounded shut after her angry father. Her father was right. She was horrible; a failure, a disgrace. It was her fault her uncle died and Neji being hurt. Why couldn't she do anything right? She didn't want to cause trouble for anyone, but it seemed like whatever she did just ended up with someone hurt. She hated seeing people hurt or in pain, then why oh why did she only cause pain to those around her?_

_

* * *

_

Hinata stepped timidly into the kitchen, making sure not to bump into any of the maids hurrying about the room. "A-Ano," Hinata whispered up to the Branch member lady in front of her. The lady turned around, her eyes widening a moment at seeing the Hyuga heiress in the kitchen, before smoothing back into the Hyuga impassive mask. "C-Can I h-have a tr-tray of fo-food?" Hinata asked nicely.

_"Why are you here? Trying to get another one of us hurt by activating the Curse Seal?" a young voice jeered, and all movement stopped in the kitchen. As one, they all turned to look at the small Hyuga heiress to see her response. _

_"A-A tr-ray of f-food pl-please," Hinata said again to the lady in front of her._

_"Yeah, order us around! That's all the Main Family like you think of us Branch members," another one called out._

_"T-tray p-p-please," Hinata tried again, blinking quickly to get rid of the tears that threaten to fall._

_"Why don't you go back from where you came from? We don't want you here!" yet another voice yelled. Other voices joined in the insults, and Hinata shrunked into herself, biting her lips to prevent the tears from falling._

_"THAT'S ENOUGH!" A gravelly voice roared, causing all of the other voices to die down. "Just because she's the only Main Family to not punish you for insulting her does not mean you can insult her as you wish. Go back to your businesses." Hinata heard voices murmured to each other as they rushed about to do their work, some disgruntled at having to stop. _

_"You!" Hinata flinched at hearing the person who made the others stop, talking so near to her ear. "Look at me when I'm talking to you girl." The person barked, and Hinata reflexively looked up at the old lady that was standing next to her. "What do you want here?" The old lady asked, pointing the cane at her._

_"J-Just a pl-plate of food," Hinata stuttered, cowed by the lady's presence._

_"Hmph," the granny grumped. "Why do you need more food for? Don't we give you Main Family members enough?" _

_"A-Ano, i-it's for N-Neji-nii-san," Hinata answered, wishing that someone would give her a plate of food already so that she wouldn't have to endure the granny's questioning._

_Amaya looked at the girl in front of her, as she lowered her cane. She had heard about the gentle heiress, but she hadn't thought she was so soft that she would let others insult her and do nothing. Amaya's sharp eyes took in the bandages on the young girl's face. She had heard about the attempted kidnapping from the other Branch members. But the bruises on the little girl's arms were fresh. Amaya snorted in disbelief. It must have been the work of Hiashi, her father. The man always said that pain made a person strong. What a fool._

_"You!" Amaya barked at the Hyugga lady that had stood by as her heiress had been insulted. Out of the corner of her eyes, Amaya caught Hinata jump slightly, and shook her head at the girl's jumpiness. "Get the heiress a tray of food."_

_"Yes, obaa-chan," the lady said, hurrying to get the food items. _

_Amaya looked at the young heiress again. "Do you know where your cousin is?" Amaya asked, and sighed when the young girl shook her head. "Very well, I'll take you there."_

_"Ah! A-Arigatou," Hinata said, bowing formally. Amaya waved away the thanks with her cane. When the lady came back with the tray steaming slightly with food, Hinata thanked her too, bowing again, before grabbing the tray. Amaya shook her head, the girl sure was polite._

_Amaya led the way out of the kitchen, making sure that Hinata was following her. "I didn't save you back there because I like you. I don't like any Main Family member. You people killed my son." Amaya felt more than saw, Hinata jumped again at that, and shook her head. "But that doesn't mean I hate you."_

_"I-I am so-sorry that w-we k-ki-killed y-your s-son," Hinata said softly, her head lowered so that her hair was blocking her face._

_Amaya glanced back at the heiress in surprise."You're the first, and probably, only Main Family to tell me that." Amaya felt a small weight lift from her at Hinata's words. Maybe, that was all she had waited for. Someone from the Main Family to tell her that they were sorry that they caused her son's death, to tell her they were sorry. "You're not bad…for someone from the Main Family."_

_

* * *

_

Hinata looked at the sweating form of her cousin in horror. Neji-nii-san had a fever. Amaya, after seeing his state, had said that she was calling for the doctor, leaving Hinata alone to wonder what she could do.

"_Hot, so hot," Neji murmured from parched lips, making Hinata jumped. "Water." Hinata hurried to get a cup of water from the jug at the corner. _

"_Neji-nii-san, water," Hinata told him, as she held the cup in front of her. Neji opened feverish eyes to look at the small girl in front of him._

_He frowned. "What are you doing here?"_

_Hinata looked at him with watery eyes. "Y-you're si-sick," she told him, as she tried to help him sit up so he can get a sip of water. Neji struggled to get away from her touch, causing Hinata's eyes to water more. "D-do-don't," she pleaded with him. "Y-y-you're s-sick. Yo-You'll h-hurt y-yo-yourself."_

"_I don't want you to help me," he said, turning his face away when she offered the cup to his mouth. _

"_B-but yo-you ne-need w-w-water," Hinata stuttered, as she tried to offer the water to him again, just for him to knock the cup out of her hands. Hinata cried out as the cup was flung from her hands, and hit the wall, causing it to shatter into pieces._

"_I said I didn't want you to help me," he growled again, watching as Hinata moved away to pour another cup and placed it next to him, making sure not to touch any part of his body, before moving to the broken cup. She started picking up the shattered pieces, afraid that the next person to come in might step on them and get hurt. In her haste, she pricked her finger on a sharp edge of one of the pieces; she looked up at her cousin as the cut begin bleeding. _

_Amaya watched the scene in front of her sadly, preventing the doctor from going in. The two kids needed to have it out._

"_Why?" Neji whispered. "Why do you do this?" he asked her._

_Hinata looked down at the blood running down her finger, as the first tears dropped from her eyes. "B-be-because I d-don't li-like se-seeing p-pe-people h-hurt. B-b-beca-because it wa-was my fa-fault." _

"_They left me," Neji told Hinata, his own eyes filling with tears. "Kaa-san,Tou-san, they both left me. I'm all alone now."_

_Hinata looked up at his words. "Y-you're n-not al-alone," she said, rushing to his side and hugging him. "I-I'm he-here. Yo-you're not a-alone." Neji finally let go, and cried. _

_[End Flashback]_

Neji asked again, breaking Hinata from her memories. "Hinata-sama, are you leaving me?" _Too?_


	3. With Every Arrival, There is a Departure

**Title:** Shy, not Weak

**Author:** PurplexMirage

**Genre:** General/Romance/Tragedy

**Rating:** T/M

**Summary:** Hinata-centric. A forgotten contract sends Hinata away from Konoha at a young age. Back in Konoha shortly before the genin exams, how is this different Hinata going to affect the people around her? And what did happen to her while she was away? NaruHina

**Standard Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are properties of Kishimoto Masashi and the companies that have the rights for it. I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 3: With Every Arrival, There is a Departure, and with Every Departure a Farewell 

"Hinata is leaving tomorrow with a new guardian. And you will be Hanabi's guardian. I have decided it and so that is how it will be," Hiashi said gruffly, moving stiffly out of his seat and leaving the room. "There will be no more discussion about it."

Hinata looked down at her hands, as the door slammed behind her. She think she will miss that sound when she left, so used was she at hearing it. "N-Neji-nii-san, I ne-need you to p-protect Hanabi-imouto for me when I'm gone," Hinata said softly, aware that her cousin was still glaring at her. "I m-made a p-pr-promise to pr-protect her, and if I c-can't do it. I w-wo-would wa-want y-you to."

"Then don't leave. Stay here and watch over Hanabi-sama," Neji coaxed.

Hinata huddled her body closer to herself. " I-I-I ca-can't. I ha-have to go."

Neji exhaled gustily. "I won't pretend to understand what you're thinking. And I do not support it all." He stood up stiffly. "I will protect Hanabi-sama if only because I was ordered to. Not because you asked me to," he slammed out of the room too, the door closing with a loud slam behind him. Hinata sighed as she cleaned up the table. Yes, she sure was going to miss the sound.

* * *

Hinata closed her exhaustion as she softly slid Hanabi's door close as to not wake the finally sleeping girl within. Hanabi had promptly thrown a fit when she heard that her older sister was leaving. She had clung to Hinata and pleaded her to stay with her. No matter how Hinata had tried to explain to her that she was only "leaving and coming back", the only thing that Hanabi heard was that Hinata was leaving without her, and in her small world that was a definite no-no. If her nee-chan wanted to leave couldn't she take Hanabi with her? Hinata teared up when she remembered Hanabi's words.

_"Was it because I was no good?" Hanabi asked solemnly, too solemn for a little girl of only three years._

_"Of course not, silly. My imouto is a very good girl," Hinata told her, brushing Hanabi's hair._

_"Then why are you leaving me? Do you not love me anymore?" Hanabi asked, her eyes downcast._

_Hinata felt her heart break at those words. "I will always love you, Hanabi. Forever and ever. And even when ever does not exist anymore. I will still love you. Because you are my most precious sister," Hinata hugged Hanabi close to her. "So no, I'm not leaving you. I will never leave you. I'll always be there. Even when you don't see me, I'm there."_

Hinata wiped the tear tracks from her face, as she made her way through the darkened hallways. She had two more stops to go before she could leave. Two more people to say goodbye to, and then it would be time to leave.

* * *

Hinata dawdled outside the doorway, not sure how to go in. "Don't just stand there in my doorway, girl!" A voice barked from inside, and Hinata jumped. "Come in!"

Hinata quickly slipped off her slippers, and opened the sliding door. "Go-Gom-Gomen, Ama-obaa-chan," Hinata said, bowing repeatedly to the old lady. Amaya sighed as she looked at the girl. Five years she had known the girl and her character had not changed a whit.

"Come to say goodbye eh?" Amaya asked as she prepared tea. Hinata looked up at the old lady, startled. "People talk, girl, you should know that by now. Nothing can be kept a secret for long." Amaya looked at Hinata with shrewd eyes as she handed her a steaming cup of tea. "So why are you leaving?"

Hinata looked into the green depths of the tea in her hands. Slowly, she recounted the events from yesterday to Amaya, making sure to not leave anything out. Amaya listened to the story carefully, starting a bit when Hinata mentioned The Conditioning, but otherwise remaining silent.

Finishing the last details that she could remember, Hinata took a sip of the now tepid tea, waiting for Amaya to say something. Amaya shook her head, an action that she did entirely too much around the Hyuga heiress, and set down her cup of tea. "Your grandfather was a fool, and a very bad man. Luckily, you do not take after him." Amaya got up slowly, feeling her old joints protest the movement. "Come along, I have something to give to you."

Hinata curiously followed, but refrained from asking. She had learned that adults would only tell as much as they wanted to, and it only annoyed them if you asked them things they already answered. Amaya led Hinata into her bedroom and gestured to the box that was on a high shelf. "Get that down," she ordered the Hyuga girl, as she took a weary sit on her futon. She was getting too old for this. Hinata carefully placed the long box in front of the old lady, before kneeling on the futon.

Amaya ran her wrinkled fingers over the smooth mahogany finish of the box. It held a lot of memories for her, memories of time past. She sighed as she opened the lid, revealing to the curious Hinata its contents. Inside was a beautifully ornate uchigatana (1) and kodachi (2). The two swords lay nestled on red silk. "They were mine," Amaya said softly, as she traced the sheaths. "After I retire, I put it up for storage. I had intended to give it my son when he became a Chunnin, but he never made it." She said smiling softly at the memory of her son. "These two stayed with me during the Great Shinobi Wars." Amaya looked up at Hinata, as she pushed the box closer to the girl. "I hope that will serve you as faithfully as they served me."

Hinata looked at the two swords. "Ama-obaa-chan, I can't take this," she said, shaking her head, pushing the box back. "This is yours."

"I'm going to die soon," Amaya raised her hand to stop any objections that Hinata might have said. "It's the truth. I can feel it in these old bones of mines." She looked at the two swords sadly as she pushed them back to the girl again. "What use will I have for swords when I'm dead and gone? Take them. You will need them with the path you're taking."

Hinata closed the lid of the box as she nodded her head in acceptance. "Arigato," she whispered, understanding just how precious a treasure Amaya had just given her.

"Hinata-sama," Amaya said, causing Hinata to look up in surprise. She had never heard Amaya call her with such respect, it was always girl or you or even at a few times by her given name. Amaya touched Hinata's smooth cheek with her wrinkled hands as she stared into the girl's eyes. "You were never meant to be a ninja. You care too much and for too many. I wish you could have born as anyone else, anything else then what you have been here. The Hyuga clan is a cruel place, a harsh and unforgiving one. As its Heiress, you received its burdens and responsibilities. And its mark has already shown on you. Your eyes, the ties that tie you here, are old and weary; and you have seen much that a young one should never have to." A tear fell out of Amaya's eyes as she regarded the girl before her. She was so young. Why must she take on the responsibility that even grown adults would balk at? Why did the world treat a girl so sweet and pure so harshly?

"Don't cry, sobo," Hinata said as she cupped the hand that was her cheek, using the endearing term for grandmother. "I'll be alright. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay. Shh, now, don't cry." Hinata whispered to the old lady that had been a grandmother to her. Amaya shook her head at the girl, even now she was trying to make people feel better. Why must the road she walks on be so hard?

Amaya grabbed suddenly grabbed onto Hinata's shoulders tightly. "Remember all I have taught you. Remember all I have said."

Hinata nodded, surprised at the ferocity in her words. "I won't forget Ama-obaa-chan."

Amaya felt a bit relieved. Maybe she would survive. Maybe she won't be like the countless others Amaya had known; the ones whose souls had been to gentle to become true ninjas. Maybe Hinata would be the one to survive when the others had died. Amaya could only hope.

* * *

Hinata placed the single stem of white lily in front of her mother's grave. "Gomen, I haven't come for a long time, Kaa-san," Hinata said as she took a seat before the tombstone. She stared at the picture of her smiling mother. "A lot of things have happened." She glanced at the two packed bags next to her. "You told me once that the strongest people are the people who have something they have to protect." Hinata looked down at the sprawling Hyuga's compound. "I have a lot of things I have to protect: the Hyuga clan, Father, Hanabi-imouto, Neji-nii-san, Amaya-obaa-chan, Naruto-kun, the people of Konoha. I want to protect them all." She smiled sadly. "But I'm just one person. There are a lot of bad things that happen that I can't stop. But the things I can, I will do to the extent of my abilities, even if I have to forfeit my life." She looked down at her feet, as she grabbed her bags. People were coming to the main gate. "When I'm gone, can you protect them for me Kaa-san?" Tears slid down her cheeks. "I miss you every day. But I know you're not gone. You're always watching over me." She walked down the cobbled steps. "I'm leaving now, but I'll come back. Wait for me, Kaa-san. I love you."

* * *

Uchigatana: the predecessor of the katana that was built for speed.

Kodachi: blade about two feet long, that were usually worn by merchants, oftentimes a companion sword of the katana.

**Author's Note:** A short, kind of filler chapter that I am very displeased with, but no matter how much I edit it I can't seem to make it better. So I guess I will leave it as is for now. It's basically almost an informative chapter. I had trouble deciding whether to write a few chapters on when Hinata is at Conditioning or to write flashbacks of what happened when she was being Conditioned. I have kind of semi-decided to do as follow: the next chapter will be the only chapter in which Hinata is shown at Conditioning. Chapter 5 will have a time skip of three years where she is back at Konoha. And then flashbacks of her conditioning will continue on throughout the story and through interludes. However, I would like any input that anyone has. Would it be confusing having so much flashbacks? Would it be better to write on the events in chapters?

Anywho, please review! I was very happy to get reviews from the other chapters. :D Constructive criticism will be especially greatly appreciated.

P.S. I have also finally made a profile page. If anyone is interested, I posted why I wrote Shy, not Weak, and some of the ways I might take the story.


	4. Death is the First Undertaking

Title: Shy, not Weak

**Author:** PurplexMirage

**Genre:** General/Romance/Tragedy

**Rating:** T/M

**Summary:** Hinata-centric. A forgotten contract sends Hinata away from Konoha at a young age. Back in Konoha shortly before the genin exams, how is this different Hinata going to affect the people around her? And what did happen to her while she was away? NaruHina

**Standard Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are properties of Kishimoto Masashi and the companies that have the rights for it. I do not own Naruto.

**Author's Note:** Okay, this chapter may be a bit confusing. Sorry about that. . Hinata's parts are in chronological order, although they are not spaced out evenly, sometimes days past between the events, sometimes months or even years. [There is only one exception to that rule, but its pretty noticeable. I felt I should give poor Hinata a break.] The events in Konoha between each event show how things are happening with Hinata gone. They are, also, spaced chronologically and either happens hours or a few days after each other, and they all happen in the first few months of Hinata's departure. Although, this chapter might be a bit confusing I actually really like how it turned out. As a plus to make up for the short chapter from last time, this one is actually a bit longer than usual.

Chapter 4: Death is the First Undertaking

Hinata clenched her teeth as her sword was knocked away and the instructor hit her with the blunt of his sword's hilt. "Wrong!" he barked, as she flew backward, a purple bruise rapidly forming on her jaw. "Who can tell me what the Hyuga did wrong?" he yelled looking around at the other ten students in the dojo.

"She was distracted with your swordplay, and did not think you will attempt a jutsu." A calm voice eventually murmured. Hinata glanced at the owner of the voice. His hair was like a lion mane, black streaks within a mix of blonde and brown strands. She knew what his name was: Hattori. He was an enigma, the smartest in all the classes. Their eyes met for a moment, his black eyes meeting with her white ones, before he blinked and dismissed her from his sight. The dismissal rankled; it was like he was saying that she was too weak to be of his notice. No matter where she went, no one seemed to think she was strong and worthy of notice.

"Correct," the instructor said approvingly. He looked at the sweating Hyuga on the floor. "Up," he snarled. Hinata got up unsteadily, her jaw aching furiously. Hinata's eyes widened when the instructor started coming after her. She ducked underneath his side swing, but was too slow to dodge the second swipe. The sharp sword cut shallowly into her thigh, and Hinata hissed out in pain. "An enemy will never give you warning before they attack." He said, sneering down at her. She quickly rolled away, before he can begin his attack again. Glancing around her, revealed that her sword was almost across the room, she would never be able to get it in time.

"Byakugan," Hinata murmured softly, making the hand seals for her bloodline. Hand-to-hand combat was impossible since he had a sword. But if she could distract him enough then maybe she could grab her sword, before he attacked again.

"What use will using your bloodline do for you? You're just wasting chakra." The instructor taunted as he circled the crouched Hyuga. Hinata stared at him wearily, waiting for his move. With a cry, the instructor advanced forward his sword a blur.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Naruto glanced around the classroom searchingly. Where was Hinata-chan? School was about to start! She was going to be late if she didn't get there soon. Just as he finished that thought, the bell rang signaling the start of class. Naruto looked at the door worriedly, maybe she was running late?

"Well, let's begin class. Today, we're learning about—" Iruka began writing words on the chalkboard.

"Ne, ne, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled waving his arm widely trying to catch his teacher's attention. Iruka sighed as he heard Naruto's unmistakable voice.

"Yes Naruto?" Iruka asked wearily as he turned around, afraid that Naruto was about to play a prank.

"Hinata-chan isn't here yet. I'm sure she wouldn't want to miss this," Naruto begin, looking at Iruka earnestly with his blue eyes. "Can we wait for her before we start class?"

"Naruto," Iruka warned in his scary teacher tone, really the boy would use any excuse to not have to listen to lessons. "Hinata's father has told me that Hinata will not be going to the Academy for a while due to family reasons. That means she will not be here."

"Is she sick?" Naruto asked worriedly. Hinata had seemed fine yesterday, but then she was really pale so he wasn't sure if she was well or not. A horrible thought occurred to him. "Is she going to die?"

Iruka sighed, as he rubbed his hand against his forehead. He had no idea how Naruto went from 'will not be going to the Academy for a while due to family reasons' to 'is she going to die?'. Perhaps it will be another mystery about Naruto he'll never understand. "No, Naruto, at least I don't think so." Iruka caught Naruto's worried look and sighed. "Why don't we start the lesson and you can stay behind after class if you have any more concerns about Hinata."

Naruto slumped in his desk, pouting, as Iruka started his lesson. Hinata-chan, his first friend, wasn't here, and all Iruka wanted to do was teach. He couldn't even help her if she was in trouble, because he was stuck at school. Life was so unfair sometimes.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Well? Don't you want the pain to end? Just kill her. It'll be easy and it'll all be over," Jun crooned at the convulsing girl. Hinata shook her head determinedly, tears running down her cheeks in streaks as she hugged herself as to stop the pain.

Don't do this! She wanted to yell at him. She hated this sessions the most, when they would pick at her defenses and manipulate her weaknesses. It was for their own good, the scientists had said. It was to build their mental strength, they had murmured. If these sessions were to make her stronger, why did she feel like breaking then?

"If you don't kill her, then we'll kill the ones you love," Jun taunted as he walked over to the struggling forms of her friends and family. Hinata shook her head again, pleading him not to do this, to please not do this. "Or should I torture them until you give in?" he mused, as he traced the tip of his blade on Hanabi's cheek. Hanabi's scream of terror made Hinata bit her lip harder making a small trail of blood slid down her chin.

Jun sauntered over to the captive girl that he wanted Hinata to kill. He looked over at the struggling Hinata slyly, as he slowly and meticulously broke the girl's fingers. He watched as the Hyuga's eyes widened, and he couldn't stop a chuckle of delight to escape him as he tortured the small girl. "Poor girl," Jun said mock sympathetically, as he patted the blonde tresses on her head. "All her pain will be over if you just kill her. Why must you be so mean Hinata-chan?" he pouted.

Hinata's pain-filled eyes met the green ones of the girl in front of her. "Pl-Please," the girl whispered, her misery evident in every syllable she spoke. "Please stop the pain. I don't want to hurt anymore. Please just kill me. He's hurting me so much." Hinata shook her head hastily at the girl's request. How could Hinata kill her?

Jun continued, seemly unaware of the exchange that happened before. "And everyone says you're such a sweet, nice girl. Here, this girl is suffering, all she wants is for you to kill her. But you won't. Mean, mean Hinata-chan. Won't you end her misery and pain? Don't let her hurt anymore. End her misery. Kill her." He taunted, stalking to the Hyuga whose body was shaking with tremors. "It'll be easy. Just one slice. Then no more pain for her, no more pain for you. Everything will be over."

Hinata shook her head stubbornly as she burrowed deeper into herself. She didn't want to hear anymore. She didn't want to listen to his voice or the other girl's whimpers. She didn't want to hear his terrifying whispers that made an awful kind of sense. Killing was wrong. Good, kind people didn't kill others. She knew that, then why, why did she feel as if doing what he said wouldn't be so wrong. The girl was in pain, and if Hinata killed her then she wouldn't have to feel it anymore, right? The pain would be over, for her and for Hinata. Didn't the girl plead with Hinata to kill her to stop her torment? If Hinata killed her, wouldn't that be as if Hinata had fulfilled her wish? Hinata shook her head desperately as she tried to banish those thoughts from her head. No, no. Good people didn't kill. Good people didn't kill.

Kashi frowned as she observed the scene from behind the one-way mirrored glass. Jun was a master of breaking people, their spirit, their body. That was exactly why the Boss had wanted him here. And from the look of things, Jun was halfway to breaking the spirit of one Hyuga Hinata.

"_It is my d-d-duty…to pr-protect her."_

"_I am shy, not weak."_

Those words seemed to echo in Kashi's head. Kashi hated weakness, imperfections, and that was exactly what the Hyuga girl symbolized. But for some reason, she couldn't stand by as she watched the girl's spirit being broken. "KAI!" Kashi shouted.

Jun looked up questioning at his playtime being interrupted. He was close to making a breakthrough, the girl had been ready to caved. When he first saw the shy girl, he hadn't thought it would be that hard to break her, but she had proven surprising difficult. He hadn't had this much fun in a long time, and now he was playtime was being interrupted.

"That is enough Jun." Kashi said. "You may go."

Jun frowned at the lead scientist. "I was close to breaking her!"

Kashi glared at him balefully. "The point is not to break her, you idiot. If you break her, what use will she be to the Society?"

Jun gave an aggrieved puff before he walked away. He hated this place. It was absolutely no fun for him. He was going to ask the Boss to send him somewhere else.

Kashi waited until the door slammed behind a sulking Jun, before she leaned down to the little Hyuga girl. "Up. It's over. Get up and get to your next class." Kashi stood up and made a move to leave when she was stopped by a small noise by the girl.

"Why?" she croaked, her pearly eyes meeting and catching Kashi's green eyes. "Why do they do this?"

"Do you remember what you promised me when I give you that one day to say your goodbyes?" Kashi asked instead.

Hinata's eye widenedand she looked down. "I remember." She said softly

That's enough, Kashi chided herself but she couldn't stop herself from continuing. "If it was a choice between your family or someone you didn't know who would you kill?"

Hinata turned her face away from Kashi's penetrating gaze, blocking her face with her hair. "Hokage-sama would never ask me to do that."

She started when Kashi laughed, it was loud but had a bittersweet quality to it, there was no joy. Hinata turned to stare incredulously at the shaking woman.

Kashi smiled bitterly. "It must be nice to young to have all these delusions. What is your Hokage, little Hyuga? He is a leader. Leaders are not nice and kind, they can't afford to be. Who else do you think orders the others to kill?"

"B-But that's different," Hinata answered. "They're bad guys. They have to be killed."

"Ah…but who would you define as bad, Hyuga? People who cause pain to others? Then," Kashi said slyly. "Wouldn't you also be bad?" Hinata flinched. "After all, it was because of you that the girl was suffering."

"N-No. No," Hinata shook again, not wanting to hear anymore.

Kashi looked at the young girl compassionately for a split second. "There is no black and white in this world, girl, you'll have to learn to live with that. But if you think your Konoha is so great and good. Go back there."

Kashi crounched down next to the little Hyuga who was still stubbornedly staring at the floor. "If you want to go back to those you love, do all we ask of you. Survive. Live. Then you can meet them again. If not, you will die here. And you will never see them again. Is that what you want?" she barked harshly.

"No. No. I want to see them again," Hinata replied, tears falling down again.

"You said you were strong," Kashi continued. "That you will be a ninja. Well, little Hyuga, ninjas kill. Can you?"

Kashi walked out this time, not stopping even when she heard the Hyuga call her back. She had lied to the little girl, because she knew better than anyone else that the Society would never let any of their Conditions go. Not until they or their Conditions died.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Naruto frowned up at the imposing building in front of him. Hinata-chan's house sure was big. After class had ended he had beg Iruka-sensei to go with him so he could visit Hinata-chan.

Caving underneath Naruto's persistence, Iruka had taken Naruto along as he paid a visit to the Hyuga Compound. Truthfully, Iruka had never liked that place. It was just so cold and unwelcoming. Really he was surprised that such a sweet, nice girl like Hinata could have from the Hyuga clan, and as its heiress no less.

"Excuse me," Iruka begin, talking to the two guards situated in front of the Hyuga Compound's main entrance. "I am Umino Iruka, Hinata's teacher from the Academy. I was wondering if I can talk to her father Hiashi-sama about her absence."

The two guards seemed to communicate silently for a moment, before the shorter one turn to them and spoke. "I am afraid that Hiashi-sama is unavailable at the moment, Iruka-sensei. I will pass on any message you have for him."

"Ah, well," Iruka said, not sure where to start.

"Can I see Hinata-chan then?" Naruto asked. The two guards stared down at the blonde demon container, and if possible their stances became more rigid.

"Hinata-sama has gone on a trip. We do not know when she will be back." The shorter one finally answered glaring at Naruto.

Naruto frowned up at the two watchmen. "Hinata-chan did not say she's going on a trip. You're lying," he accused the man.

Iruka chuckled uneasily as the mood turned colder as both of the Hyugas glared at Naruto who was glaring right back.

"We do not lie, demon." The older one spat. "Hinata-sama has gone on a trip. But," he continued cruelly, "even if she was here we wouldn't let you see her. You would only corrupt her. Be gone, brat, before we do something you'll regret."

Naruto growled at the threat. "I'll show you regret."

"Hehe," Iruka laughed awkwardly, "We'll be taking our leave now. Please tell Hiashi-sama I wish to meet him." He dragged Naruto away.

"EH?! Iruka-sensei let me go!" Naruto struggled against Iruka's hold. "Those guys had it coming to them!"

"Naruto! Naruto!" Iruka shook the blonde student in his arms. "Listen to me! You won't solve anything by beating them up. You're the one who will get hurt!" When those words seem to fail to make Naruto stop, Iruka tried another method, "Do you think Hinata will want that?"

That seemed to calm the struggling child. Iruka let his arms fall from around Naruto. Naruto stood unnaturally still, before he turned to look at Iruka slowly. Iruka's eyes widened as he saw the heart-breaking sadness in Naruto's face.

"Iruka-sensei, why do they always take things from me?" Naruto asked quivering. "Hinata-chan is my first friend. Why did they have to take her away from me? Do I not deserve to be happy too?"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hinata and Kira were excited. Today was the day that they were going to test to see if their medicine worked. Kira still did not like Hinata much, although she tolerated her—to a degree. When they had first planned the medicine, it was to make the person who used it to reveal their innermost deepest hate and secret. However, with counseling from their sensei, they had made it so that the person who took it could see that the others were the reasons for their hate. It was a good medicine to use against enemy ninjas without wasting ninja resources. It had been difficult to make, but in the end worth it. Or so they thought.

"Stop it!" Kira cried as she struggled against her captors. "It's not supposed to be used that way! It's for evil people. It's not for them! Stop it!"

Hinata watched shell-shocked as the peaceful villagers from before started turning on each other. The nice, old lady that had been giving out cookies before was now choking one of the village kids screaming how they were ungrateful, messy brats. A mother was slowly drowning her baby in the well, as tears streamed down her face as she chanted the words, "You shouldn't be alive. You shouldn't be alive." Mothers against children, neighbors against neighbors, siblings against siblings; they were slaughtering each other. Was this the medicine she had made? Was this her fault? It had just been a game though, an experiment. It wasn't supposed to hurt anyone. It had just been an assignment assigned to her and Kira to see if they could make a deadly poison and antidote using the resources that were available to them. It wasn't supposed to kill people. This wasn't supposed to happen. Hinata gripped her hands tightly, her fingernails biting into her skin, as she witnessed the carnage in front of her. Blood was everywhere. Did people truly bleed that much? She wondered hysterically. Why doesn't it stop? Why didn't they ever stop bleeding?

Hinata watched as the last person standing staggered to the nearby stream. "Why don't you die?" he yelled at his reflection. "Why won't you ever die?!" He started stabbing the water reflection with the bloody dagger he held in his hand. On one of his wide slashes he hit himself, causing a shallow cut to start bleeding. His eyes grew manically bright. "Yes! Yes! Yes! You're hurt! Die. Die! Die! I hate you." Hinata watched in horror as he started stabbing himself, laughing as more holes appeared on his body. Hinata's hands raised on its own accord as she choked back a silent scream. Tears blurred her sight as she chanted one word in her mind. No, no, no, no. "Finally," the man said, smiling angelically as he stared at his reflection. "You're finally died." Hinata shook her head furiously, as the man pitched over finally from his wounds. His blood dyeing the river red as his motionless body floated on the stream. She killed him. She had killed him. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the many dead bodies that littered the village. She had killed them all. Oh, gods, what had she done? What had she done?

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Naruto stealthily followed his unwary quarry. He was on an important mission, and he was determined not to be caught. His prey stopped suddenly, and Naruto stilled too.

"Why are you following me?" Oh well, at least Naruto thought he was being stealthy.

Naruto leaped out of the forest in front of the older boy. He frowned at him. "You're a Hyuga right? So you know Hinata-chan right?"

Neji frowned at the annoying blonde boy in front of him. First, the boy had followed Neji noisily home all the way from the Academy. He had made enough noise to wake the dead. What type of ninja was he supposed to make? Then, the boy asked about Hinata-sama, a sore topic for the still-hurt Neji. "If I do?" Neji sneered down at the pipsqueak in front of him.

"Well, where is she? Are you holding her hostage and performing horrible experiments on her or something?" Yes, Naruto's active over-imagination had made a myriad number of possibilities on why he had not seen his precious friend, all of which were more grisly and out-of-the-world then the next. "Was she captured by aliens?"

Neji felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance at Naruto's weird ideas. He hadn't hold much credibility in the whole "dumb blonde theory" but if Naruto was the example of the blonde species, then he would definitely listen closer to those sayings.

"She's gone, got it baka?" Neji snarled, hurt at her abandonment of him. "And she's not coming back."

"You're lying, too!" Naruto yelled loudly, jabbing his finger angrily at the long-haired Hyuga. "Are all Hyugas except Hinata-chan liars?"

"Stop calling her Hinata-chan, loser!" Neji yelled back, angry at the familiar way Naruto was addressing his cousin.

"Why not? Hinata-chan is my friend! She says she believes in me! She wouldn't leave me!" Naruto shouted, unintentionally rubbing salting on Neji's wounds. "See!" he pointed to the red chakra string around his wrist, "she even made me a promise bracelet!"

Neji stared at the red string around the Naruto's wrist and growled. His world seemed to take a red haze as all the anger and pain that he felt about Hinata leaving him behind raised up and targeted Naruto. How was it that an imbecile like Naruto could receive Hinata-sama's trust? Why did she have to leave him behind? He would have followed her to the ends of the world, and yet she left him alone, knowing that she was the one thing that kept him from falling back into the empty void that he had fallen in after his father died. It wasn't right! He was the one who deserved that bracelet that Hinata-sama had left behind, not this loser that had barely known her for a day!

"Give me that!" Neji demanded.

"NO! Its mine," Naruto replied, hugging the bracelet close to him. "You can't have it!"

"Why, I oughta—" Neji reached over to snatch the bracelet from Naruto.

"AHHHH!!!" Naruto yelled as he ran away from the rampaging Hyuga after his bracelet. "Leave me alone, you thief!"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Get up," one of the man in the mask ordered. "Go see if there are any survivors. If there is. Kill them."

Hinata stepped numbly into the villiage, her sandals stepping lightly on the dirt road mixed with blood. There was no one alive right? She stared at the gaping eyes of the dead all around her. No one could have possibly survived right? Please gods, let there be no one left.

Perhaps the gods hated her, Hinata thought as she started at the quivering girl in front of her, her eyes filling with tears. They must really, really hate her. The young girl couldn't be any older than her imouto's age. Did she really have to kill her?

"Hinata, I-" Kira begin, stepping into the cottage that her partner had went into. Kira was partly relieved that there was no one left alive, but the dead seemed to follow her everywhere. She just wanted to leave as soon as possible and forget that this ever happened. She stopped as she noticed the very alive young girl that was shaking in front of her. Kira saw Hinata take a step forward. "Hinata! Don't!" Two strong arms held her back as she attempted to move forward. "Don't! What do you think you're doing?"

"Please don't hurt me," the little girl whispered, her cries growing bigger as Hinata kept stepping nearer.

Images and voices seemed to whirl in Hinata's mind as she stepped ever so closer to the little girl.

"_Do you not love me anymore?" Hanabi asked, her voice small and scared. _

Hanabi, her precious little sister. Hinata was here, because she had to protect her, because she didn't want Hanabi to have to do all the things she was doing. She didn't want Hanabi to have to walk this path. She didn't want Hanabi to see all the horrors that the world have to offer. If possible, she only wanted Hanabi to see only the good things, the rainbows and the light, not the shadows and the darkness that Hinata seem to be forever entrenched in.

"_You were never meant to be a ninja." Amaya said, her eyes spilling tears. "You care too much for others."_

Oh how right Amaya had been. She didn't know that this was what it meant to be a ninja. All this pain and hurt, chaos and destruction. Was this what it meant to be a ninja?

"_If you care about them, you will not let anything hurt them." Jun has said in one of his sessions, as he calmly tortured her family._

That was why she was here. That was why she had to keep going on. She couldn't let anything hurt them. But how could she kill someone who was so like her sister? How can she take a life?

"_You are a disgrace to the clan and to me." Hiashi said, slamming the door after him._

She had done so much for her father; for his approval, for his love. He had loved her when she left right? He did approve of her choice right? He was proud of her right? She had just wanted him to smile and her and tell her that he was proud of having a daughter like her. That was all Hinata had ever wanted from him, love and care offered unconditionally.

"_I don't want to be alone anymore, Hinata-sama. Please don't ever leave me alone." Neji said._

But she had left him alone. She had left him. Not because she wanted to, but because she had to. She had to protect Hanabi. She had to protect the Hyugga clan. She had to. She had to. It didn't mean that she didn't love Neji-nii-san too, but she had to leave him so that he can be safe. So that whatever he chose to do in the future, he can do it, and be happy. So that he can be happy. Neji-nii-san had so much potential; it was unfair that he was stuck to the Hyuga clan. She wanted to give him wings; she wanted to let him fly.

"_If you want to go back to those you love, do all we ask of you. Survive. Live. Then you can meet them again. If not, you will die here. And you will never see them again."_

Survival. Was that what it came down to? If she survived, they would let her go back to those she loved? But what if the people she loved, didn't love her anymore because of what she had become? What then?

"_Wait for me, Kaa-san. I will be back."_

Did Kaa-san still love her, Hinata wondered. She was not the pure girl that Kaa-san had been so proud of. Would her Kaa-san even want to see the Hinata of now?

"_But it's my home. The only one I've ever known."_

She wanted to see Konoha again. See the sunset fall over the peaceful city. Watch as ninjas go and come. Look at the Hokage monument and know that the past Hokages were looking down on Konoha and protecting them. She wanted to feel the love and cheer that was so much a part of Konoha. She wanted to see Naruto-kun again.

"_Well, little Hyuga, ninjas kill. Can you?"_

No. She couldn't kill. But she had to. Had to. Had to. She hated those words: had to. It seems that everything in her life she had to do. Why couldn't she do anything of her free choice?

"Stop, Hinata! Do you have no heart?!" Kira shouted as she struggled against the men holding her back. "Don't do it! Don't kill her!"

Hinata crouched down next to the crying girl. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

The little girl was just shaking her head. "Mommy! I want my mommy. You're scary. I don't like you. I want my Mommy. MOMMY!"

Hinata closed her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered again.

Hinata stood up, raising the sword above her head. Opening her eyes determinedly she let the sword slashed down, and the little girl screamed. Warm blood splattered all over Hinata's clothes and hands. Hinata stood still, her hands trembling softly, before she sheathed her still trembled as she just stood there. Numb, she felt so numb.

"You're a monster!" Kira yelled, hitting Hinata in the back. "You're a murderer. You should die! How could you kill her? How could you?!"

Hinata let Kira rain blows on her, not feeling a thing with the numbness that had spread inside her. What could she say? What could she do? Because Kira was right: Hinata was a monster.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Neji gritted his teeth as Amaya harshly rubbed ointment on the bruises on his face. Who knew that the little pipsqueak could hit so hard?

Amaya frowned at the boy. "You, boy, are stupid." She started wrapping bandages on the scratches on his arm. Oh yeah, let's not forget that Naruto scratched like a hellion cat when he was cornered.

"He had something of Hinata-sama." Neji told Amaya, his head lowered.

Amaya looked at his lowered head sadly. "That does not mean you could take it from him." She scolded him, although her hands gentled.

"I hate her," Neji said suddenly, causing Amaya to stop in her nursing to stare at the boy in shock. "She abandoned me. He's wrong: she is the liar. She's the one at fault. I hate her. She's stupid and she's weak and she doesn't care about anyone but herself." Neji choked on his words. "I hate her. I won't forgive her for leaving me alone. I won't. I hope she dies. I hope she never comes back."

Amaya continued her ministering on the wounds on Neji's arms, ignoring the drip drop of water hitting the ground and the rapidly growing water puddle beneath Neji's face. "Do you really?"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Whoever said that everything became easier after the first time, lied. Although Hinata had continued to kill after her first mission, it never became easier. The numbness never went away, and the nightmares continued to haunt her continually. Hinata felt like dieing. It was like an endless broken record. Monster, murderer they chanted and no matter how much she tried she couldn't get them to go away.

"Sad?"

Hinata looked up at the voice, straight into white eyes almost like hers. Shock coursed through her for a moment, another Hyuga here? However, another blink lost that illusion, and she found herself staring at a blind girl with long white hair spilling down her shoulders. "Nee-chan, sad?" the younger girl asked.

"I-I," Hinata looked at the girl confusingly, no one ever talk to anymore. Not after what Kira had told everyone. "I'm okay."

"No," the younger girl said stubbornedly, leaning down to touch Hinata's cheek with one hand. She lifted her hand and show Hinata the liquid there. "Nee-chan sad."

Hinata gasped as her hands flew to her face, feeling the tears there. She hadn't even felt herself crying.

The little girl sat close to Hinata. "Nee-chan sad." The girl repeated leaning on Hinata's shoulder.

"Yes," Hinata admitted, hugging her legs closer to her body, as she leaned her forehead against her knees. "Yes I am sad."

"Why?" the girl asked curiously.

"Because," Hinata choked. How could she explain to the little girl that she had killed so many? That she was a monster. "Because I'm a bad person."

"Why?" the little girl continued asking.

"Because," Hinata replied, closing her eyes tightly as she remembered the blood soaking her hands. "Because I have done some very bad things."

"Why?"

"Because," Hinata answered, remembered Kashi telling her what the price was to go back. "Because I had to."

"Why?"

She remembered the one-way conversation between herself and her mother's tombstone. "Because I have to protect my precious people."

"Why?"

Hinata's throat tightened. "Because I love them. I love them so much that it hurts." Hinata did not know of the little girl asked anymore, she couldn't seem to hear anything past the large sobs that she was making. This wasn't the silent tears that had seemed to plague her for so long, but large body-shaking cries. She was crying because it hurts so much; it hurts to love. Why did no one warn her that it would hurt so much to love? She wanted to see them so badly. She didn't want to be here anymore. She didn't want to have to kill anymore. She hated herself. She hated herself so much. She wanted to see them again, but she couldn't. She was so dirty…so vile, she couldn't taint them with her ugliness. She didn't deserve to be by them. How many have she killed? How many innocents have she slaughtered under her blade? Amaya would hate her if she knew how Hinata was using the precious gift that she given her. Gods, did it hurt. It hurt so badly. Why did love have to hurt so much?

Althrough Hinata's crying, the small girl continued by her side, humming a soft melody as to amuse herself. As Hinata sobs begin to lessen, she realized that the little girl had still not left, and she looked up. As of noticing that Hinata had stopped crying, the little girl looked into Hinata's eyes, smiling softly. "Done?" she asked.

Hinata nodded her head slowly, her eyes feeling puffy and weird after her long crying. "What's your name?" she asked.

The little girl's smile grew wider. "Lina. My name Lina."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Oi, Oji-san!" Naruto yelled, slamming into the Hokage's office. Sandaime sighed as he waved away the guards that were about to strangle Naruto.

"Yes Naruto?" Sandaime asked as he gestured to the chair in front of him.

"I need you to train me," Naruto told him seriously. Sandaime looked up at the request and at the determined face of the boy in front of him.

"You can learn anything you want in the Academy," Sandaime waved off, his cunning eyes testing Naruto.

"I already know all they want to teach me! I have to know more!" Naruto answered back, not giving up. "I have to become stronger."

"Oh? I thought you can't even make a simple bunshin." Sandaime countered.

"Ugh! I can! ...But it just blows up when I do!" Naruto yelled frustrated.

"Blows up?" Sandaime asked curiously.

"Yeah! See?" Naruto asked as he flashed through the seals, and indeed minutes after his bunshin formed it blew up.

"Hmm," Sandaime murmured, calculating. "What do you know about chakra, Naruto?"

"Uhh…it's there and we use it to do jutsu and stuff." Naruto answered, honestly. Sandaime sighed in exasperation.

He chucked a scroll at Naruto, who caught it before it could hit his face. At least he has good reflexes, Sandaime thought warily. "Read that and tomorrow I will test you on the information."

Naruto groaned. "Not another test," he whined as he read the title of the scroll, _Chakra for Dummies_. Hey! Was the Hokage calling him stupid?

Before Naruto could work up a steam of anger at being called a dummy indirectly, Sandaime threw him off with a question. "Why do you have to become stronger Naruto?"

"Well," Naruto said, glancing down at the precious bracelet that he had managed to safeguard against the forces of evil, namely one Hyuga Neji, "it's because I promised someone important that I will, so I can be happy, and reach my dream of being Hokage. And because she believes in me."

Sandaime's eyes softened. While it wasn't the answer Sandaime had been looking for, it was one in the right direction. Naruto was walking down the path that Yondaime would have wanted him to, not the one of death and destruction that Sandaime had feared the villagers would have forced Naruto to.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"What's wrong with her?" the doctors asked each other in hushed voice as they rushed around the young Hyuga's bedside. Hinata was shivering, her body dripping with beads of perspiration. Her eyes were wide open and she was screaming as if she was witnessing some horrible events that only she could see. No one knew what was wrong with her.

Behind a glass mirror, unnoticed by the busy doctors, two kids watched as their friend was poked by various needles and pins.

Lina watched the people moving. "Nee-chan hurt again." she told Hattori, unemotionally.

"Yes." Hattori answered the little girl.

"Why?" Lina asked, her head tilted curiously.

"I don't know," Hattori whispered back to the frightened girl. His sharp eyes caught a purple head disappearing quickly behind a corner. "But I'm going to find out."

"What did you do to her Kira?" Hattori growled as he grabbed her arm.

The purple-haired girl tried to break his grasp on her arm, as she replied haughtily, "I didn't do anything to her. Let go of me, you big bully! Even if I did, it's nothing less than what she deserves. She's a monster." Kira hissed the last part, her hazel eyes flashing.

Hattori tightened his hold on her arm. "Give me the antidote or I'll tell the doctors you were the one who poisoned Hinata."

"Hmph, you can't prove I poisoned their precious little pet," Kira replied, throwing back her head.

Quick as a flash, Hattori cut a diagonal slash across her wrist. "Don't forget what my ability is," he warned Kira turning his face toward the small cut that he had made.

Kira's eyes widened as she began her struggles anew. She couldn't let him taste her blood. Footsteps alerted Kira and Hattori to a third person, and they froze as they saw Seoshi come up the corridor.

"Seoshi-sama," Kira whispered. Seoshi looked at the two people struggling in front of him, his amber eyes scrutinizing the situation.

He turned to Kira. "What did you do?"

"I-I—" she stuttered underneath his cool gaze.

"She poisoned Hinata," Hattori answered him quickly before Kira could make up a story.

Seoshi looked at Hattori for a moment, before his penetrating gaze whipped back on Kira. "Is that true Kira?"

Kira looked down meekly. "Hai, Seoshi-sama."

"Give him the antidote. Poisoning a comrade is beneath our honor," Seoshi said, as he walked past the two. "I do not want to hear of you doing something like that again. Is that clear, Kira?"

Kira looked like she wanted to argue, but she nodded her head in acceptance. "Hai, Seoshi-sama. I understand."

As Seoshi's footsteps moved further away, Hattori slackened his hold, and Kira yanked her arm forcefully from his hand. "Here, you man-handling brute," she said throwing a small jar into his face. He caught the jar before it could make contact, and Kira looked sad that it didn't at least hit him. "Have her swallow a pill every 10 hours on the dot, and she should be well again in a week. Feel lucky that Seoshi-sama ordered me to, or you would have never gotten that."

"A week?" Hattori questioned as he stared at the brown jar in front of him.

Kira smiled cruelly. "I knew that they would have eventually found the antidote. This way she will suffer the poison for a week longer even if they did."

Hattori narrowed his eyes at her. "You're a bitch."

"Oh I know," she answered, breezily, waving away the insult.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hiashi looked at the framed photograph in front of him. His hand shook as he traced the smiling face of Hinata, his stupid, darling little girl. He wished she wasn't as she was. She was too much like her mother, his wife. She cared too much; always trying to help people when they didn't ask for her help. He placed the picture frame in the box and began to meticulously place the other stuff in the box too. He had one more chance. He had to take care of Hanabi. He had to make her the perfect leader. He couldn't think about Hinata anymore. Not anymore, she was taking up his time with the amount he thought of her. She was gone, and she was never going to come back. His little girl was never going to come back and smile at him anymore. She was gone. Hiashi slowly covered the box, taking one more glimpse of his little flower. Hinata was dead to him and to the Hyuga clan. Hyuga Hinata no longer existed.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

**Final Author Note:** And done! I added an extra scene or two to give some more depth to the OCs that appeared. Hint: Make note of them. You'll see them more later. This was a particularly grueling chapter for Hinata. I'm glad JSai pointed out how I emphasized Hinata's gentle nature in the early chapters; it was actually to provide a contrast to what she has to deal with in this chapter. Now, next chapter she will be back in Konoha, which is kind of at odds with what she was thinking at the scene where she met Lina. What made her change her decision? Also, how did she get back to Konoha? Kashi had admitted privately to herself that the Society was never going to let any of their Conditions go. Wouldn't that apply more so when Hinata is their pet Condition [as Kira had said]? Also, what happened to Naruto with his training with Sandaime? Hmm, Neji seems to really hate Hinata for what she did to him, how will he react when she comes back? Oh! I just love this chapter. The only part I didn't like was Hiashi's part, it felt too forced. But it was needed. You'll see why later. I wanted to add more events, but I think I added enough. The story will definitely pick up after this. I hope I did a good job about describing the OCs' characters, because I know I stink when it comes to their physical descriptions.

**Thank you for the reviews last chapter! It motivated me to get out this chapter earlier. Please review again! :]**


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